you're just imagining it

About you're just imagining it

you're just imagining it is a single player simulation game. It was developed by npckc and was released on November 5, 2024. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

a chronic illness simulation game. you think you have a chronic illness, but you don't know what. all you know is you are always in some state of pain. you've been to too many doctors to count... but you still have to live your life. how long will it take for you to get a diagnosis?

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Single-Player

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Reviews

97%Audience ScoreBased on 318 reviews

story5 positive mentions

grinding1 negative mentions

Authentic and emotionally impactful portrayal of the chronic illness experience, especially the struggle to get a diagnosis and be believed by doctors.
Short, well-polished, and accessible with a simple art style and soothing soundtrack that enhances the narrative.
Effectively raises awareness and empathy about the frustrations faced by people with chronic pain and invisible illnesses, offering comfort and validation to those affected.

Gameplay is minimal and repetitive, with limited interactivity and few meaningful choices, making it feel more like an interactive story than a traditional game.
The subject matter is heavy, distressing, and intentionally frustrating, which may make it emotionally challenging or unenjoyable for some players.
Some players found the graphics and presentation simplistic or bland, and a minority criticized it for exploiting serious issues or lacking in gameplay depth.

story
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14% positive mentions, 78% neutral mentions, 8% negative mentions
The story is a short, relatable, and emotionally impactful portrayal of the struggles faced by individuals with chronic illness, particularly highlighting the challenges in obtaining a proper diagnosis. Grounded in realism and personal experience, it offers an important, somber message that resonates deeply with players familiar with such realities, making it a meaningful and thought-provoking narrative despite its simplicity.
- “The story is so realistic and the dialogue with the doctors and thoughts are all things I have experienced myself.”
- “Every damn day... the story resonates, and it's a gift to hear from a dev with personal experience.”
- “The story accurately displays how long it takes for someone to genuinely get the proper diagnosis with certain conditions; I can say this because this was the exact same problem with my mom.”
- “And I hate even more that your story is pretty common, and I have other friends with the same story.”
- “The story is very depressing and the interactions with the doctors hit the nail on the head.”
- “The story is nonetheless very depressing and you should only play if you're okay playing a story where the main character suffers a lot.”
emotional
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The game delivers a powerful emotional impact, especially resonating with players experiencing chronic illness and medical struggles, often bringing them to tears. Its brief, simple nature effectively captures the frustration, relief, and validation felt during difficult healthcare journeys, providing a rare sense of being seen and understood.
- “As someone who has multiple chronic illnesses, this game honestly made me emotional playing through it as I felt very seen in my experience trying to get diagnosed.”
- “Even though the experience is brief, it creates a strong emotional resonance, especially for those who’ve faced complex medical journeys: diagnostic uncertainty, dismissal of pain, rushed appointments, or a healthcare system under strain.”
- “As a person with an unspecified chronic illness, it finally made me feel seen; it perfectly reflects how most doctors react when faced with a person with rare diseases and how tiring managing symptoms can be.”
graphics
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29% positive mentions, 58% neutral mentions, 13% negative mentions
The graphics receive mixed feedback, with many praising the cute, simple, and charming art style for its soothing and cozy aesthetic that complements the game's theme. However, a few users find the simplicity off-putting or consider the visuals to be among the worst on Steam. Overall, the art style is a standout positive aspect that enhances the emotional impact despite minimalist design.
- “I appreciated the cute but simple graphics, and the art style is soothing.”
- “The simplistic artstyle and soundtrack work really well and are gorgeous.”
- “The graphics are cute and give the game a lot of style.”
- “The graphics here are particularly awful, so bad that it actually stands out as one of the worst looking games on Steam.”
- “The visuals and sound design are simple and unassuming; frankly, even that simplicity began to annoy me by the end of it.”
- “The art style is cute, and that is truly what saved my screen from being punched through.”
gameplay
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24% positive mentions, 62% neutral mentions, 14% negative mentions
The gameplay is minimalist and revolves around managing pain and daily activities through simple choices, blending visual novel storytelling with basic stat management. While some praise its effective portrayal of chronic pain and emotional impact, others find the mechanics repetitive and overly reliant on text-heavy narrative segments, limiting interactivity and engagement. Overall, the gameplay serves the game's message well but may feel simplistic or lacking in depth for some players.
- “No, really, I like how well the experience of having chronic pain is conveyed not only using words but also with the game mechanics.”
- “A very interesting way of showing the awful nightmare of having a chronic illness and not being taken seriously, truly felt infuriated during my entire gameplay time, so well-made.”
- “As someone who has had an experience nowhere near as bad but still annoying with the medical system in regards to chronic pain this game felt very cathartic, and small game mechanics like sometimes your pain meter going up instead of down when resting are just, yeah, it is like that, sometimes you just wake up in more pain than you fell asleep with.”
- “The developers failed one of the most basic, fundamental requirements of game design: "show, don't tell." You'll spend a huge amount of time not playing the game, but clicking through endless lines of poorly written visual novel text cutscenes because the developers couldn't translate their narrative through game mechanics, opting instead to compete with reading a book for your time.”
- “The gameplay follows a repetitive loop: taking medication, visiting various doctors (each more disconnected than the last), and adjusting your efforts based on your pain levels.”
- “The medication tab mentioned keeping track of how you're feeling but it's not an actual mechanic.”
music
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33% positive mentions, 34% neutral mentions, 33% negative mentions
The music is generally praised for being simple, cozy, and fitting well with the game's charming art style and theme. While the soundtrack is memorable and enjoyable, some users expressed annoyance at the developer's request for additional payment for music that is already included in the game.
- “Not only is it a cute game, it is also cozy, with the soundtrack not being overbearing.”
- “The simplistic artstyle and soundtrack work really well and are gorgeous.”
- “The gameplay is sufficient with a memorable music track.”
- “A composed music score, which is shorter than 5 heartbeats; well, your heart is not sore enough yet.”
- “The developer expects a $3 USD 'donation' for the soundtrack DLC, which is already included in the game, essentially digital panhandling.”
- “The soundtrack is not overbearing, but the game pressures you to buy the soundtrack separately.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The game's humor is characterized by sharp, acid wit that effectively mocks the healthcare system, providing occasional laughs despite its serious themes. While not overtly comedic, the creator's personal storytelling adds a unique, darkly humorous touch that enhances the experience.
- “It's a nice game that made me laugh a little bit because it really mocks the healthcare system in the US.”
- “This game has acid humor at its best lmao.”
- “I liked how the creator tried to explain their own story with that game. Even though it's obviously not a funny game, I'd recommend playing it even if you don't know any disabled people or don't relate to it.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
Users appreciate the game's minimalist design and charming sprites, noting that these elements effectively enhance the overall atmosphere.
- “I liked all the little sprites; the minimalism really added to the atmosphere of the game!”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions
Grinding is portrayed as a cute and quick mechanic that effectively conveys the tedious and lengthy process of obtaining a diagnosis.

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Frequently Asked Questions

you're just imagining it is a simulation game. Common tags for you're just imagining it include free to play, indie, life sim, emotional, atmospheric and others.

you're just imagining it is available on PC, Web Browser, Mac OS, Windows and others.

you're just imagining it was released on November 5, 2024.

you're just imagining it was developed by npckc.

you're just imagining it has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked you're just imagining it for its story but disliked it for its music.

you're just imagining it is a single player game.

Similar games include Depression Quest, Room of Depression, Missed Messages, Robin, Actual Sunlight and others.

you're just imagining it

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About you're just imagining it

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Depression Quest

Room of Depression

Missed Messages

Robin

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The Average Everyday Adventures of Samantha Browne

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Reviews

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emotional

graphics

gameplay

music

humor

atmosphere

grinding

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